Rivalry
by Lain in the Wired
Summary: Two opposing schools. One rivalry blown out of proportion. It all started with a dare. Now, where will their lives take them? SS Rated for mild violence and language.
1. The Dare

**_Title : _Rivalry**

**_Author : _Lain in the Wired**

**_ChapterOne :_ The Dare**

"Can you hear me! Are you deaf? Get your stupid asses back out there and try running the play correctly!" the coach yelled at the players on the sideline with him. Their bright green uniforms blended in perfectly with the fake grass on the soccer field behind them. The crowd in the stands cheered loudly.

This was the largest turnout ever. The rivalry had grown. Seikei High School hated Midori High School. Midori High School hated Seikei High School. End of story. But the rivalry had grown so much that all the games were televised events.

"Now get going!" the coach yelled again. The Midori High soccer players ran out onto the field and got into position. Seikei had the ball.

"Kick, kick, kick, let's fight! Fight, fight, fight, let's win! Win, win, win, and kick their butts!" The Midori High cheerleaders yelled loudly. The captain came out in front to lead the next cheer. Her short brown hair had bright green highlights in it, matching her uniform, and her eyes.

The game, however, was drawing to a close. Midori High was trailing by two goals, and they had the ball now. Number 27 ran it down the field, waiting for one of his team-mates to get open.

Suddenly the ball disappeared from in front of him. The player turned around to see a brunette boy with a white jersey running the ball to the other side of the field. The ball went into the goal with almost no resistance. Then the timer ran out.

The Seikei High School stands burst into excited cheers and curses directed at Midori High.

The Midori High stands yelled right back.

Suddenly all of the Seikei fans flooded out of their stands and started rushing towards the other stands. "Syaoran! Here's your chance!" someone yelled from the Seikei sideline. The brunette that made the last goal nodded and raced with the rest of the fans towards the Midori High stands.

Fights had started and Syaoran dodged each one and ran into the heart of the group. He saw a flash of green and brown in front of his face and he reached out. His hand had gripped around the cheer captain's forearm. Her bright blue eyes had widened in shock and he smirked.

Then he pulled her back where he had come running from. She started to say a few protests but her voice was drowned out by all the yelling and eventually she stopped.

Syaoran had them ducked safely to the Seikei High School sidelines a minute later. The Seikei soccer team erupted in cheers and catcalls. Sakura flushed a deep crimson and tried to pull away from her captor.

Syaoran, however, wasn't letting her go. He, instead, positioned himself so that he was a protective covering over her. She looked up into his dark brown eyes with her own rebellious green ones. He smirked again.

"Oh, Syaoran, fork her over and we can all have some fun tonight!" one of the soccer players said loudly. Sakura's eyes widened in horror. The rest of the team shouted their agreements. Syaoran covered her more with his body. His tall, lean body barely let her focus on how her world was slipping away from her control.

"No, I grabbed her so she's coming with me. If you want some, go grab one yourselves," Syaoran's deep voice resounded over her. His words brought her back to reality. He'd nabbed her!

Her train of thought was cut off once again by his tugging at her arm. She followed obediently as he led her out to the stadium's parking lot. She didn't see anyone she knew; they were all probably still in the stadium fighting with the Seikei High School students.

Something hard poked her in the chest. She looked down to see him handing her a helmet. She glanced down at what they were standing next to. Her heart jumped as she saw the beautiful black bike. She slipped on the helmet and straddled the bike behind him. He didn't even have to force her to. She was following him willingly. Why?

He started the bike and they peeled out of the parking lot quickly. Her hands clasped together around his waist automatically as he maneuvered in the traffic getting away from the stadium.

Suddenly, she was again aware of his body. The rock solid abs below her fingers. Slowly and lightly she slid her fingers up his torso. She hoped he wouldn't notice but she ached for the touch of him, and she didn't know why. What was wrong with her?

Her fingers seemed to have a mind of their own as they lightly caressed his chest up and down. She didn't even feel the bike stop until he had dismounted and grabbed her forcefully around the waist. He lifted her off the bike and pushed her up against the tree he had parked next to, ripping off her helmet. A park?

"I swear, are you trying to make me crash the damn bike?" he asked forcefully, his helmet already gone. Or had he even had one on to begin with? She barely had time to open her mouth in response before his lips came crashing down on her own.

It was hot, a kiss searching for something. She felt the power and hunger behind it before he pulled away momentarily. She breathed lightly but her heart was pounding.

"What did I do?" she asked softly when he looked away. His amber eyes turned back and bored into hers.

"Whatever you were doing to me on the damn bike. I should have known all of you Midori girls were whores," he spat. Her eyes narrowed instantly and her fist flew to his face. He barely flinched but his hand flew up and gripped her wrist tightly.

"Never do that again," he growled. She cowered a little in fear before his lips met hers again.

She tried to resist the kiss this time but the power and passion overpowered her senses. Her hands coiled around his neck instinctively and his hands ran up and down her back and waist.

He pulled away. "We need to get out of here," he said softly. He hustled her to the bike and took off quickly after letting her put a helmet back on. She smirked into his back, where her face was planted, as she began to stroke his chest lightly with her fingertips again. She felt his chest harden and she trailed her fingers further in each direction, exploring him.

"Shit," a low curse mumbled from his mouth. She felt him move when he said it and decided to stop her torture. She felt the bike speed up. Had her soft caresses spooked him that much?

The she looked around and her eyes widened. Four other bikes were now following them. Syaoran wove through the traffic easily, but couldn't shake his followers. Sakura tightened her grip around his stomach.

"No matter what happens, don't let go." She heard a broken sentence leave his throat, but understood what to do. She nodded into his back and he sped up, making a swift turn onto a narrow road with a ravine of trees off the right shoulder.

Sakura looked back again. Two of the bikers got lost in the traffic but the remaining two were still tight on their tails and were pulling out guns. The first bullets went off loudly, but missed them by a long shot. Syaoran wove in and out of the thin traffic on the road. The bikers kept up with ever movement.

Another cuss word erupted from Syaoran's mouth. He flipped around in his seat and put one protective arm around Sakura. With the other hand he jerked the bike hard towards the right. It flew off the road and exploded at the bottom of the ravine.


	2. New Friends

**_Title : _**Rivalry

**_Author : _**Lain in the Wired

**_Chapter Two :_** New Friends

A figure with chocolate brown hair leaned over a smaller form wearing a light green outfit. "Come on, girl. Wake up," he whispered as he glanced around. It didn't seem like the other bikers were coming to look for him. He lifted the helmet carefully off her head and cursed when he saw a darker spot coming down from her forehead.

He put the girl carefully over his shoulder and started walking deeper into the forest. Good thing they had only been a short distance from his mansion, but he couldn't lead those other bikers there. It would have been harmful for himself and the rest of his friends living there.

A picture of the girl's face flashed in his mind. Would she be alright? He had tried to cover her head as well as he could. The problem was that he didn't know how loose the helmet was on her and how much she got jerked around.

She had only begun as a dare for him. The team had told him to nab some girl from the Midori High School stands. Fate had pushed him to pick her. She was the first girl he'd bet not to be at his feet in minutes other than his cousin. Other girls would have been trying to touch him all the time. She had been afraid of him at first. He had been the one to act at the park. But the thing she had done on the bike! His stomach still tingled from her touch. The Midori High School cheerleader had something. He just didn't know what.

A few minutes later, he was startled to find himself approaching his mansion. He glanced down at his watch. She had occupied his thoughts for a full twenty minutes!

He shifted her weight to one arm to push in the security code. Then something hit him; something was wrong with the small girl in his arms. She was really light for a girl her size. _Too_ light. She had to be an inch smaller than Meiling, his cousin, but she must have been thirty pounds lighter.

He hurried inside the mansion and rushed past the kitchen while heading to his room. "Syaoran?" a voice called after him. He burst into his room and laid Sakura on the bed. "Syaoran, what are…? Who's that?" the voice said again as its owner walked through the door to his room.

"Meiling, just get me a wet washcloth and some medicine. I'll explain later," Syaoran commanded. Meiling's mouth clamped shut automatically and she began rushing around, doing what he requested. He gently stroked the side of Sakura's face. She'd be fine. His stomach tightened in worry. She just had to be, and he felt that she would.

Soon everything that they could do was done. Meiling told Syaoran to go to bed and that she would watch the girl. Syaoran agreed, but said that he'd only go to bed if she told him the moment she woke up. Meiling agreed with him and said that she would wake him up later so that she could get some rest while he looked after her.

Sakura slept the whole night with a guardian angel.

Night passed slowly for Syaoran and Meiling, so as the sun started to come up, Syaoran decided to take a break and go to the kitchen. He plopped down into a chair at the unoccupied kitchen table. He stared out the large window with a cup of coffee in front of him on the table. Meiling walked into the kitchen a little while later, rubbing her red-rimmed eyes.

"Who is she?" Meiling asked suddenly, breaking Syaoran from his soft trance.

"I don't know exactly. Some cheerleader from Midori," he answered, still thinking about her. Meiling rolled her eyes.

"So there's some random girl in your room and all you know about her is the school that she goes to."

"And that she's a cheerleader," Syaoran added. A movement by the door caught his attention and he was on his feet in seconds. "Are you ok?" he asked.

Meiling looked at the girl about her height in the doorway holding a hand to her bandaged head. "Where am I?" the girl asked uncertainly. Meiling glanced at her cousin.

"You're at my house," he answered gruffly. The girl raised a neatly waxed eyebrow but didn't push the subject. Meiling smirked. The girl must have some brains at least. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Sakura. You're Syaoran right?" she responded. He lifted his own eyebrow at her. He hadn't told her that. "I heard when the guys at the game called your name," she explained. He smiled genuinely at her. Meiling's brow furrowed. Syaoran didn't smile at _anyone_ like that.

"Would you like anything?" Syaoran offered Sakura. She shook her head lightly, being careful of her bandaged head. "Why not? You must be starved," he pushed. Still she shook her head. Her light brown and green streaked hair moved stiffly around her face.

"I'm on a diet. I don't eat breakfast," she said. Meiling couldn't help but snort in laughter at the girl.

"Oh, you're one of _those_ girls. The ones who always think that they are fat," Meiling mocked.

"No, I'm not. My mother is forcing me on the diet. If I eat anything she will know. She wants the perfect child and I'm not going to be the one to mess that up for her. The hair almost pushed her over the edge. I'm surprised she let me stay at school and not send me off to some finishing school somewhere else," Sakura explained. This time Syaoran's brow furrowed.

"What do you mean? You are too tiny to need a diet. Your mother is crazy," he said. Sakura just shrugged.

"Ok, well, since it's rude to refuse a meal as a guest, I am going to fix you something to eat," Meiling smiled at her. Sakura's eyes widened in horror.

"Oh please don't!" she said, but it was too late. Meiling was already pulling out pots and pans and loads of food from their places around the kitchen. Sakura looked helplessly over at Syaoran, but his eyes were sparkling and his mouth was growing into a large grin.

"Come help me!" Meiling insisted as she waved a mixing spoon around. Sakura rolled her eyes and then walked over to where Meiling was standing with the ingredients in front of her and the spoon in her hand. Sakura just stared at everything. "Don't you know how to make pancakes?" Meiling asked. Sakura looked at her sheepishly.

Meiling looked surprised for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. "Teach her how, Meiling," Syaoran said, laughing softly. Meiling glared at her cousin but took his advice.

"See, all you have to do is read the instructions. This part says put the flour into the bowl with the eggs, sugar, and milk," Meiling instructed. Sakura's brow was furrowed in concentration as she measured out the right amount of each ingredient to add to their mixing bowl. "See! You've got it!" Meiling said as Sakura did the next part on her own.

Syaoran watched them with a smile on his face. He couldn't even remember the last time that anyone had made him smile as much as he was doing now. He'd known it before; this Sakura girl had something. And he longed to know what it was.

She was different from other girls. She was polite and restrained like them, but he had a feeling she wasn't always mother's little angel. She seemed wild, but only to an extent. Would she fit in with his family and friends? Meiling seemed to attach to her immediately. Her personality was just too pure not to like.

"Would you like some, sir?" Sakura joked as she held a plate of steaming pancakes in front of his face. His mouth watered at the aroma and he nodded quickly. She set the plate down on the table in front of him and set a fork next to the plate. Meiling brought over the syrup and set it down on the table as well.

"Dig in!" Meiling said happily. She and Sakura laughed as Syaoran did exactly as he was told. Meiling watched his happy face as he would look up at her and Sakura. His gaze would linger on the young girl for a moment before returning to his plate. Meiling secretly smiled to herself. Her best friend, Tomoyo, was going to love this. So was her boyfriend, Eriol, who also happened to be a cousin of Syaoran.

Finally, they might have found someone to keep him out of trouble. They might have found someone for him to love.


	3. Fitting In

**_Title : _**Rivalry

**_Author : _**Lain in the Wired

**_Chapter Three :_** Fitting In

"I guess it's a good thing that the game was on a Friday night. I think my mother would have killed me if she'd found out that I skipped another day of classes," Sakura said, holding her cup of coffee to her lips. Syaoran had finished eating the pancakes and Meiling had said that she needed to run some errands, so Syaoran fixed them two cups of coffee and they had sat down on the couch together.

"What made you want to come with me so easily?" Syaoran asked, voicing the question that neither of them knew the answer to.

"I don't know. I guess I trusted you. I don't know why. You did kind of nab me," Sakura answered with a laugh. Syaoran laughed too.

"That I did," he answered between chuckles. Sakura smiled at him, but then continued staring, her smile slowly fading.

"What's that scar on your face?" she asked suddenly after a minute of silence. Syaoran's smile dropped as well and his hand moved slowly to the scar. He knew exactly which one she was talking about. But would she still trust him if he told her the truth? Would she trust him if he didn't?

"I got it with my friends. We were doing something stupid and I got hit. Nothing important," he said, trying to seem nonchalant. Sakura knew he wasn't telling her something, and that worried her.

"You can tell me. I won't judge you," she prompted softly. Syaoran's gaze had fallen to the floor, but her soft voice had brought his chocolate brown eyes up to meet her large green ones. She smiled encouragingly and he sighed. She had a pull on him that his body just ached to answer.

"I was in a fight with some people. They didn't like my ideas on a certain issue and they were willing to stand up and fight for their beliefs, even though we didn't want to," he answered, hoping that she wouldn't ask for anymore details. He didn't like talking about it.

"What happened?" she asked. He sighed again.

"We had our groups with us. My friends were backing me and his friends were backing him. It was like a gang-war. People died, Sakura. And it was because of me and my stubbornness," he admitted. He'd never told anyone his guilt over the incident. So why was he telling her?

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. Syaoran was taken aback. Had she just apologized after he had told her that he was basically a ruthless bastard who would get what he wanted in anyway?

"For what?" he asked, still trying to make sense of her reasoning.

"That you had to put your friends and yourself on the line to stand up for what you believed in. You shouldn't have to fight for what you believe in. People should always be allowed to have their different opinions without being violent. And I'm sorry that you lost some of your friends," she responded.

He gazed at her in disbelief. He hadn't expected her to think that deeply into it. Had she had issues with standing up for what she believed in before? "I'm sorry that I lost them too. All my friends are special to me," he admitted. "I'd do anything for them, to make them happy."

"That's what makes a good leader. Being someone who is willing to sacrifice something important to them in order to make others happy. You impress me, Syaoran," Sakura said. Syaoran smiled.

"I'm glad, Sakura," he responded. She smiled and took another sip from her coffee mug. Syaoran watched her. Her feet were curled up underneath her on the couch. She had smoothed her cheerleading skirt over her thighs and she had run a few fingers through her hair to make it look more presentable. Her big, sparkling green eyes were staring out the window above them. He put his mug to his lips and took a sip as well.

"Hello! Anybody here?" a voice called as a door opened somewhere else in the house. Sakura sat up straighter to listen for the person.

"Yah, we're in the den!" Syaoran called back. Sakura looked at him questioningly. "It's my cousin Eriol and his girlfriend Tomoyo. They live here too," he explained. Sakura nodded in understanding.

A minute later, a boy with midnight blue hair and silver rimmed glasses walked through the open portal into the den. He nodded at Syaoran and then glanced over to Sakura. "And who might you be?" he asked. A girl with long black hair with soft purple highlights appeared in the doorway behind him.

"Her name is Sakura. She's my guest," Syaoran explained. The boy nodded.

"Hi, Sakura. My name is Eriol," he introduced himself. Sakura took his outstretched hand and shook it firmly with her own. The other girl peered down at Sakura, and Sakura fidgeted nervously with her uniform. She must have been filthy and she hadn't even thought about it!

"Hey, my name is Tomoyo," the girl introduced herself finally. Sakura smiled up at her and shook her hand as well. "Syaoran, would you mind if I stole your little friend for a few minutes?" Tomoyo asked as Eriol sat down on the couch next to him.

"Not at all. You girls have fun," he said and winked at Sakura. A light blush graced her cheeks and she stood up letting her hair shift in front of her face to hide her embarrassment. Tomoyo smiled secretly to herself. She wondered if Meiling had already met the girl.

Once they were out of the den, Tomoyo led Sakura farther into the mansion. They were getting into some of the rooms on the upper floor when Tomoyo led them into a room where the door had been closed. The walls were a light shade of blue and a large king-size bed resided against one of the walls. A mirror hung from the opposite wall with a large dresser in front of it. Two more tower dressers rested in the corner of the room and a closet was next to them. A small door was slightly ajar next to the mirror. Sakura could see a counter and a mirror, and assumed it was a connected bathroom.

"Welcome to my room," Tomoyo said as she motioned around. "I share it with Eriol. We're engaged. You should come to the wedding. It's not that far off," she said happily. Sakura smiled and nodded her head. Syaoran had removed the bandages earlier to check her head, but the wound had stopped bleeding so he didn't put any more bandages on. She had been grateful, and she was glad now that Tomoyo hadn't seen her with them on.

"I love your room. Mine at home is pink, but set up in a similar way," Sakura said, trying not to look rude by not answering. Tomoyo stared at her for a minute before turning to the closet and digging around in it for a minute. She emerged with a pair of jeans and a shirt.

"Put this on. You'll be more comfortable. Do you want to take a shower?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura glanced at the small room connected to the bedroom. Tomoyo sensed her uneasiness. "I wouldn't mind at all. You should feel comfortable while you are here."

"Thank you so much," Sakura said finally as she took the clothes that Tomoyo held out for her. She started to head for the bathroom.

"No problem. I'll just be in here. Come out when you're done," Tomoyo instructed. Sakura nodded her head with a smile on her face and walked into the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind her. Sakura looked into the mirror at her smiling face. These new friends would be great for her. And she couldn't wait to hang out with them more if they would let her.

She hopped into the shower after letting the water run long enough to heat up. The sweat and grime from the day before at the game and then with Syaoran washed off with her worries about not being home. Her mother wouldn't care. Probably wouldn't even notice.

Sakura washed her hair with a sweet-scented shampoo that was in the shower and soaped off with a different sweet-smelling soap. She stepped out of the shower and grabbed the fluffy towel that was folded on the counter.

She slipped into the clothes that Tomoyo had provided her with and smiled at her reflection. Time to show her new friends just how cool she could be!


	4. New Family

**_Title : _**Rivalry

**_Author : _**Lain in the Wired

**_Chapter Four :_** New Family

Sakura opened the bathroom door slowly and looked out into Tomoyo's room silently. Tomoyo was staring into the mirror on the dresser brushing through her hair. Sakura reached up and touched her own hair tentatively. Tomoyo turned around when Sakura opened the door wider and smiled.

"Let's see, this hair won't do," Tomoyo joked as she motioned Sakura to come to her. Sakura sat in between Tomoyo's legs as she sat on the bed with the brush in hand. Each tug of the brush brought new tears to Sakura's eyes. Her head was still delicate, but she didn't want to appear weak. She sniffed lightly and Tomoyo stopped brushing for a moment.

"Are you alright, Sakura?" she asked worriedly. Sakura nodded slowly, the jarring movement still bringing pain to her head.

"Yah, I just hurt my head last night when I met Syaoran. It's nothing though," Sakura assured. Tomoyo returned to brushing, but was more gentle as she attacked the new tangles in Sakura's mid-length hair.

"I do love your hair," Tomoyo said enthusiastically after a few minutes. "It's not very private school-like. Not like Midori at all."

"I don't fit in there," Sakura confessed. "The others on the cheerleading squad look up to me as a figure they could never be. A rebel. The other girls at school think that I'm a bad example. That I should just follow the rules and do as I'm told. And who knows what the hell the guys think?" Sakura added, laughing. Tomoyo giggled lightly as well.

"Why do you even go there? You seem much more suited for a school like Seikei; like a public school-type," Tomoyo commented. Sakura looked up at her thoughtfully.

"I've always wanted to go to a public school. It seems so much more fun. There's no need to impress anybody that you don't want to. No expectations from parents and students. I would love not to be so scrutinized. But my mother just wants a perfect daughter. I'm the only one she could have before my father died and she seems to have ended up wanting to live through me," Sakura said. "I don't know anymore. I want to be my own person, but she's the only family I have left."

"I know what you mean," Tomoyo said sadly. "My father died when I was very young as well. I never really knew him. I used to live with my mother in Hong Kong, along with the rest of the Li-clan, but then we were all sent here. I've actually had an arranged marriage to Eriol since birth," she said smiling. Sakura smiled a sad smile.

"I have an arranged marriage as well. I can't stand him, though. He's such a stupid prick. But he has money, and my mother is obsessed with money."

"Uh, Sakura, would you mind if I was a bit prying?" Tomoyo said sheepishly.

"Of course not. How ever would we become friends if I didn't let you in on my dirty little secrets?" Sakura said laughing. Tomoyo laughed along with her.

"I guess we couldn't. But I was wondering what you thought of Eriol's dear cousin?" she said slyly. Sakura blushed.

"You mean, Syaoran? What do I think of Syaoran?" Tomoyo nodded. "Well, other than the fact that he nabbed me, he seems to be very nice. And very protective and loving, as well. I'm glad to see that he cares so much for his family. Why do you ask?"

"No reason really. Just thought I would see what an outsider's point of view on my icy relative would be," Tomoyo laughed. Sakura blushed again.

"Icy? Syaoran doesn't seem icy at all. He has a very beautiful smile," she said dreamily. Tomoyo's laughing faded almost instantly. Syaoran smiled for this girl? There definitely must be something special about her.

"All finished!" Tomoyo said as she tied a white ribbon around the end of the braid that she had just put Sakura's hair in during their conversation. Sakura smiled up at her beautifully. Tomoyo smiled back and stood up, turning also to help Sakura to her feet. "We should get back to the den before the boys decide to do something rash," Tomoyo giggled. Sakura laughed as well and followed Tomoyo as she led the way back to where they had left the guys.

As they neared the room laughter grew louder in their ears and they exchanged glances. They entered the den to the sight of Eriol, Meiling, and another man on the floor with Syaoran and a beautiful girl with two pony-tails on each side of her head on the couch. Tomoyo smiled widely as she also plopped on the floor next to her fiancé, and Sakura made her way across the room to the open seat on the couch that she had occupied earlier. Syaoran's face fell as she didn't sit next to him so he scooted closer to her, instead. The girl next to him noted his move with a glare.

"Hey," Syaoran whispered in Sakura's ear. Sakura smiled at him in response, but one eye was set on the new girl who continued to glare in her direction. Syaoran looked over his shoulder in the direction of Sakura's gaze. He chuckled lightly to himself. "Don't worry about Chiharu. She's not used to having guests over unless she, herself, invites them. Her boyfriend Takashi is down there playing with Eriol and the girls," he informed Sakura. Her eyes moved down to the four teens on the floor and then up to the TV screen that their eyes were trained on. They were playing a racing game and Meiling was in the lead. Sakura laughed softly and Syaoran's face broke into a smirk hearing her beautiful laughter.

"Syaoran, who is your friend?" the other girl asked with a glare. As the race finished Takashi turned to hear his answer as well. Tomoyo and Meiling shared a secret smile.

"Chiharu, Takashi, meet Sakura. Sakura, this is Chiharu and Takashi," pointing to each teen respectively. Sakura nodded at them with a large smile adorning her face. Takashi smiled back and Chiharu glanced at Tomoyo and Meiling on the floor. They nodded slightly and gave her a grin, and Chiharu turned back to Sakura.

"Nice to meet you, Sakura. Meiling, have you invited her to come with us tonight?" Chiharu asked, turning her attention once more to the girls on the floor. Meiling sat up a little straighter and looked back at Chiharu.

"No, I actually hadn't had the chance yet. Sakura," she said, turning in her direction, "would you like to accompany us to a party tonight?"

Sakura's face fell slightly. "I would have to ask," she said softly. Meiling's eyes softened as well. This girl was obviously at the will of her mother, whether she wanted to be or not.

"Oh, please tell your mother that you are at a study group! I would greatly enjoy your company," Tomoyo said urgently. Sakura's smile returned as a small lift at the corners of her mouth.

"Alright, I shall tell her that. But what will I wear? I have no clothes of my own here."

Tomoyo's eyes brightened and she clasped her hands together making Meiling and Chiharu sigh loudly. "You don't even have to worry about that!" Tomoyo said excitedly. "I will take you shopping and we will find you the perfect outfit and all the guys there will be dying for you!"

Everyone laughed at Tomoyo's childishness but Meiling saw a flash of jealousy cross her cousin's face. What was making him act this way? The girl had already had that much influence on his motives? Meiling could not figure him out at all. Her mind was blocked to him and his face had shielded his emotions since childhood. There was no way she was going to make out exactly how he felt unless he told her straight out. And she knew that wouldn't happen in a million years. So she turned her attention back to Tomoyo who was busy talking aloud at what kind of outfit Sakura would look best in.

"Well if you want her to be ready any time soon we must go now and start picking stuff out," Meiling said, bossily. Tomoyo jumped to her feet automatically and grabbed the handles on her purse. Meiling, Chiharu, and Sakura stood up as well as Tomoyo lent down to give Eriol a kiss. "We'll be at the mall, then. Syaoran, call if you need anything. We'll be back in time to get ready for the party then we can all go, alright?" Meiling said and everyone nodded in agreement.

Tomoyo held her hand out to Sakura and she took it as Chiharu and Meiling led the way to a garage. Sakura's breath caught in her throat as she gazed at all of the high-powered luxury cars in her view. "Whoa," she whispered. "Are these all yours?"

Meiling and Tomoyo exchanged glances. "They all belong to Syaoran," Meiling answered, walking to a red Mazda RX-8. Sakura's jaw dropped. Chiharu got into the passenger's seat of Meiling's car. Tomoyo gripped Sakura's hand again and guided her to a dark blue-purple Audi TT.

"I'll follow you," Tomoyo said to Meiling before getting in and shutting the door. Sakura looked over at her and noticed how concentrated she was becoming in order to drive, and looked back out her side window. Sakura remembered the previous night with Syaoran and wondered if it happened often. With the ferocity Tomoyo put behind each gear shift, Sakura supposed it happened often enough.

Then her mind traveled to her conversation with Syaoran earlier. Was that the gang he had fought? Were those the people that his friends died because of?

"Tomoyo, were you in the fight where Syaoran got his scar from?" Sakura asked quietly, not knowing if it was a subject readily discussed. Tomoyo tensed and Sakura guessed that it wasn't. "You don't have to…" Sakura began to say before Tomoyo cut her off.

"There are many things that all of us regret. Syaoran mainly. But we did what we had to do in order to defend what we thought was right. We still defend it. We died defending it and we will still die defending it. We all feel regret for what we have done, but our hearts still believe in our actions and support them fully," she answered. Not a direct answer, but Sakura didn't want to pry; at least not too deep.

"I understand what it's like to be forced to do something, to think a certain way. I understand the heartache behind it," Sakura said in a whisper so soft Tomoyo wasn't sure if she had heard the small girl correctly. Then Sakura turned to face Tomoyo full on with tears glistening in her eyes. "Let me join you. Let me help you," she said with a determined gaze on her face.

Tomoyo glanced at her then back to the road and Meiling's car in front of them. She looked like she was pondering it for a moment before glancing back at Sakura again.

"Alright," Tomoyo answered. Sakura looked out the front window again. "I'll talk to everyone tonight. Syaoran will not be pleased, you know," she added.

"But he will understand," Sakura responded to thin air. Tomoyo looked at her. Maybe there was a strength in this tiny girl; a determination. A determination they could use to end it all.


	5. Flirtatious Beginnings

**_Title : _**Rivalry

**_Author : _**Lain in the Wired

**_Chapter Five :_** Flirtatious Beginnings

Sakura sat with Meiling, Tomoyo, and Chiharu in the food court of the mall they had arrived at three hours earlier.

The shopping had been intense. Meiling had managed to drag them into at least three different jewelry stores and ten different clothing stores, where they had each gotten about fifteen outfits. Sakura was exhausted, and when Tomoyo suggested sitting down for food, she jumped on the opportunity immediately.

"So, this party tonight is going to kick so much ass!" Meiling exclaimed before taking a huge gulp of her soda. Sakura's face brightened. Maybe parties held by public school kids were better than all of the snobby parties that the private school kids hosted.

Suddenly a familiar voice sounded behind Sakura. "Sakura, sweetie, you're not sitting with these…things, are you?" Sakura turned to look at the familiar ice-blue eyes of the boy who owned the snobbish, private-school voice.

"Tamake, these are my friends. You have no right to interrupt me here," Sakura said evenly. Tomoyo looked between the two with curiosity. Tamake glanced down and recognized the school sweatshirt she wore.

"You're choosing these people over me? I'm your fiancé. I have every say of what you do and who you see," he said, beginning to get angry.

"Yes, I choose my _friends_ over you. And you have no right to tell me what I should do. I'm no fiancé of yours. I'll never marry you," she bit back.

Tamake looked like he'd been slapped, but he turned in silence to go back to his group of friends who were waiting on the other side of the food court. Sakura recognized a few of them at a glance. The soccer players and most of the cheerleading squad welcomed him back. Sakura glared before turning back to her new friends.

"School rivalries; can't live with them and can't live without them," Tomoyo sighed.

"Tell me about it," Sakura responded while dipping her head onto her folded hands. She glanced over her shoulder again to see that Tamake's group was still standing and staring at them. "I think we better go now," she said quietly, still watching the group. Meiling and Chiharu followed her glance and nodded in approval.

"I guess we can hold the ass-whopping until later," Meiling said with a smile. Sakura giggled lightly as they picked up their bags.

The ride back to the mansion was as silent as the original trip. Sakura was glad when they finally pulled into the garage and removed their packages. "Sakura, you can use my phone to call your mom to tell her about our 'study group', ok? Tomoyo and I will pick out the outfit we want you to wear," Meiling instructed as they walked into the house. The boys were nowhere to be seen as Sakura dialed the number.

"Kinomoto residence," a shrill voice sounded over the speaker on the red cell phone.

"Uh, mom, it's Sakura. I'm just letting you know I'm going to be at a study group tonight," Sakura said softly.

"No you won't. You will come straight home, you little prick! And where the hell were you last night? You don't think you need to come home anymore? You're gravely mistaken, young lady," her mother scolded. Meiling had walked into the room and heard the last part of her mother's speech and was staring at Sakura wide-eyed. So that was how she could put up with Syaoran's mean streak.

Sakura looked Meiling dead in the eye. "No mom. I won't come home. I'm going to a study group and I will be home when it's over."

"You little prick! Why I ought to call the police…" she said before Sakura hung up on her.

"You go girl!" Meiling said with a laugh. Sakura looked at her with her face drawn.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she said softly before clutching her stomach.

"Breathe… Just breathe. It'll be ok," Meiling said as she ran to Sakura's side. Syaoran walked into the room just as Sakura was calming down. He looked at her quizzically but she just smiled at him. "I guess it's time for us to get ready," Meiling said as she grabbed Sakura's hand. She led Sakura back into the bedrooms again, but this time to a room she didn't recognize.

"Who's room is this?" she asked in awe. The walls were a light pink to match the beautiful white bedspread. A dresser stood next to a window and a full-length mirror hung on the wall next to the bed. Meiling just smiled.

"This is your room. We had the others fix it up while we went out," Meiling explained. Sakura's eyes got wide.

"You did all this for me? I don't know how to thank you!" she said excitedly. Some of her new outfits were laid out on the bed and Meiling led her to them. A tan tube-top with green cargo pants, a light pink halter with a blue jean mini skirt, or a pink tube-top with long leather pants were Sakura's choices to wear. "Uh… I guess I'll go with this one," Sakura said, pointing at the tube-top and cargo pants.

"Good choice. I didn't want to have to change my mind," Meiling said.

"How so?"

"Because I'm wearing the leather pants tonight!" she laughed. Sakura laughed along with her. "Now you get dressed and meet me in Tomoyo's room. She wants to do your hair differently," she instructed. Sakura nodded and Meiling left the room, closing the door behind her.

Sakura undressed slowly because she was still sore from the crash the night before. She was in the cargo pants and her bra when there was a knock on the door. "Just a minute!" Sakura said as she grabbed a shirt. She held it over her chest as she opened the door a crack to see who was there.

Syaoran stood outside her door, blushing, and babbling about something. Sakura smiled and rolled her eyes. "Would you like to come in?" she asked. He swallowed and nodded before following her into her new room, closing the door behind them. Sakura moved all of the clothing off the bed and into the closet next to her bathroom door. Syaoran stared at her flawless skin as she moved about the room.

"Now, what is it that you wanted?" Sakura asked nicely.

"Uh, Tomoyo wanted, uh… wow," Syaoran managed to get out before completely stopping his train of thought. Sakura blushed lightly and walked towards him.

"Do you like what you see?" she asked seductively, although her voice was shaking. He swallowed again and nodded his head. She was right in front of him now, her hands on his shoulders. He looked up at her face as his hands landed on her waist.

Suddenly, he pulled her down onto the bed with him. She screamed in shock before laughing as he tickled her. "You little tease!" she said through yelps of laughter. Syaoran just smiled as he stopped to let her catch her breath. He was on top of her now, straddling her waist as he pinned her to the bed. She blushed as she realized the position they were in.

"Do you want to let me up, now? So I can get decent before we go?" Sakura said lightly. Syaoran just stared at her, his amber eyes burning through her own.

"Not really," he replied as he remained on top of her.

"Oh, ok," she said in confusion. His head was dipping towards hers and she could feel her body tensing up.

"SAKURA! Are you ready yet? Tomoyo needs to do your hair!" Meiling said through the closed door. Syaoran and Sakura jumped apart instantly.

"I, um, will be right there!" Sakura said nervously as she pulled the tube-top on over her head. Syaoran was still laying on the bed. She pulled her bra off underneath the shirt and threw it on him. "Maybe later," she said with a wink as she opened the door to walk down to Tomoyo's room.

Syaoran laid on her bed, watching the ceiling, wondering what had taken over him. He was never that open with girls, and especially didn't chase them like that. Sakura just left him completely out of his senses and he needed to know why.


	6. Party Time!

**_Title : _**Rivalry

**_Author : _**Lain in the Wired

**_Chapter Six :_** Party Time!

Sakura entered the party following Meiling and Chiharu, next to Tomoyo. The boys were going to show up a little later. They had mentioned having to make a stop on the way, but Sakura hadn't questioned them.

Sakura had been correct in her assessment; public school parties were definitely not the snobbishly refined parties of the private school community. People were lying around on couches clutching half-filled beers in their hands. Others, mainly girls, were dancing around to the hip-hop music pumping through the speakers lining one wall of the den.

"I'm going to get a drink before we start partying," Meiling said as she winked at Sakura and Tomoyo. Chiharu followed her into the kitchen to get a drink herself.

"So how do you like it? Better than anything you've ever been to before?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura smiled and nodded.

"Well, I'm glad. These people are all groupies of a sort to Syaoran and the rest of us," she said. Sakura looked at her in confusion. "Remember the gang war we were all in? These are our members," Tomoyo explained, looking around at all of her friends.

"Oh, so, they do what you say?" Sakura asked. Tomoyo nodded and shrugged at the same time. Sakura laughed and said, "Well, that's cool. I wonder if Syaoran is actually going to say yes. I would be friends with all of these people!" Tomoyo laughed as well before leading Sakura further into the house.

"Oi! They're here!" someone yelled as they looked out the window. Sakura felt the decibel level drop as everyone became silent, the only continuing sound being the stereo in the background.

Suddenly the door opened to reveal four people. Sakura recognized Syaoran, Eriol, and Takashi immediately but didn't know the last. "His name is Kisho. It means 'one who knows his own mind'. It's a good fit, he barely ever speaks to anyone besides Syaoran," Tomoyo explained. Sakura nodded in understanding.

"Back to your partying," Eriol said as Syaoran looked around the room discretely. His eyes met Sakura's but he didn't smile. Sakura shivered slightly.

"Don't worry, he'll find you later. He just has this reputation here," Tomoyo whispered to Sakura. She nodded in response and walked off in the direction that Meiling and Chiharu had taken earlier. Two coolers stood open on the counters of the large kitchen filled to the brim with ice-cold beer. A sign on the refrigerator read "Jello Shots in Here" and a sign on one of the lower cabinets said "Hard Liquor". Sakura smiled to herself. She grabbed a jello shot out of the fridge and ate it promptly.

"So who's this piece of fresh meat?" a guy said as he walked into the kitchen with two others trailing behind him. Sakura glared at him as he pulled out a beer. "Oh, come on sweetie, you know you want this," he said as he walked towards her. She backed up until she felt the side of the counter in her back.

"Back off," she said forcefully. The guy didn't seem to hear her as he continued to advance on her.

"The lady asked you to leave her alone. I suggest you leave her the fuck alone," a masculine voice said from the doorway behind her pursuer.

"Uh, sure boss. Sorry," the guy said and he left the room with his two goons. Sakura sighed in relief as she let herself stand up properly, off of the counter. She looked to the door to view her rescuer, and saw Kisho standing there.

"Thanks Kisho, that means a lot to me. I'm Sakura," she said as she stuck her hand out to him. He took it lightly and nodded at her, before exiting the room.

Sakura raised one eyebrow, shrugged, and turned around to make herself a drink. She took it outside where she'd noticed a lot of people were sitting and walked around the lit pool.

"Sakura! Come here!" Meiling called to her from the doorway of the house. Sakura smiled and walked towards her.

"Hey, Meiling, what's up?" Sakura asked. Meiling just looked at her sternly.

"Tomoyo and Syaoran need to speak to you. Follow me," she said. Sakura swallowed slowly and followed Meiling to a room in the back of the house. She opened the closed door and Sakura stepped into the lavishly decorated office. Meiling closed the door behind Sakura, leaving her to face two hard stares.

"So I'm guessing you asked him?" Sakura asked Tomoyo. She smirked and nodded. Syaoran did not seem as amused.

"Do you have any idea what you're getting into?" Syaoran said in an even tone. "If you can't stand up for yourself at a party, how do you think that you can do it in your school, for instance? Or in public? Or anywhere?"

"Oh, so Kisho told you what happened?" Sakura asked. "That was a one-time deal. I can take care of myself. I just didn't want to start a fight at my first public-school party," she explained. Tomoyo looked like she was about to start cracking up. Syaoran rolled his eyes.

"Sakura, look out the window," he said, motioning to the large window lining one side of the room. Sakura glanced out and saw two boys beating each other up with a crowd watching around them. She turned back to Syaoran with a smirk.

"Oh, well I'll keep that in mind next time I want to get in a fight," she said.

"Tomoyo, would you excuse us, please?" Syaoran said as he dipped his head in his hands. Tomoyo stood up and linked pinkies with Sakura before leaving the room. "Sakura, please, think about this. I don't want you to get hurt," Syaoran said once Tomoyo had shut the door once more.

Sakura stared at her feet. She had to convince him to let her do this. She needed to do this. Finally she found a place where she belonged and he wouldn't let her in? That just wasn't going to happen.

"Syaoran, I can stand up for myself. I may be small, but I'm completely capable. Plus, I could help. I know cars like the back of my hand. Just give me a chance!" she said. Syaoran looked at her. She had a resilient look on her face and a gleam in her eyes that he knew all too well. It was the same gleam Meiling got right before she knew she'd won at something.

"Promise me that you will be careful, no matter where you go," he said. Sakura nodded with a smile on her face. Syaoran got up from his seat behind the large desk and walked towards her. "Promise me that you will call me if you need anything at all," he said. Sakura nodded again. Syaoran held her chin for a moment before pulling her into a kiss.

This kiss wasn't the same as the ones that she'd received from him in the park the day before. This was different, passionate and careful. Sakura fell into it head-first and Syaoran wasn't relenting. He folded her into his arms and she wasn't protesting.

"You two! Apparently cops are coming," Tomoyo said through the door. Syaoran and Sakura jumped apart instantly.

"Uh, I got Sakura. You go ahead and go, Tomoyo," Syaoran said as Sakura tried to calm her racing heart.

"Alright, but hurry up," she said before walking away. Syaoran looked at Sakura and took her hand.

"Ready to go?" he asked. She nodded and he led her out of the room, through the den, and out the front door. They could hear sirens a few blocks away as Syaoran led her to his bike. She put on the helmet he handed her and looked around at the kids that were scattering. She saw Meiling pulling away with Tomoyo following her. She also saw Eriol, Takashi, and Kisho leaving on their bikes.

"Hold on tight," she heard Syaoran command her. She wrapped her arms around his waist obediently and he sped away from the curb. Suddenly Sakura felt as if she was reliving the night before. His hard abs under her fingers as she swirled them around. She felt Syaoran tensing up again and giggled lightly to herself.

"Sakura…" she heard him mutter and that sent her into an even larger spasm of giggles. Then she realized that she had to go home. She had told her mother that she would come home after their "study group".

"Syaoran!" she yelled, hoping he would hear her. He seemed to respond as he took a right to get off the main road and parked outside of a house.

"What's wrong? What is it?" he asked hurriedly, a look of panic in his eyes.

"Uh, nothing. I just told my mom that I'd come home after the study group, remember?"

"Oh, right. You can't just stay with us? You have your own room to stay in," he offered. Sakura smiled softly but shook her head.

"I made a promise. I have to respect that," she said firmly. Syaoran stared at her for a moment before finally submitting to her wish.

"Fine, I'll take you home. Where do you live?" he asked. She gave him the instructions and a light kiss before putting on the helmet again. He pulled away from the curb quickly and headed towards her house. Sakura resisted the urge to play with his abs some more as she thought about what her mother would say at their arrival.

Syaoran pulled up outside of her mansion and she looked up towards the doorstep. Her mother hadn't even left the light on. Sakura sighed. "Hey, do you want me to walk you up?" Syaoran offered. Sakura shook her head lightly.

"It wouldn't be good. Mom would freak out if she met you," Sakura said softly. Syaoran grunted and stared into her emerald eyes. Sakura smiled and kissed him lightly before turning away.

"Oh yah! Sakura, take this. Meiling wanted you to have it. Speed dial one is me, two is her," Syaoran said as he tossed a cell phone at Sakura. She smiled and thanked him for it before walking up the pathway to the door.

Her mother would be so pissed.


End file.
